Basehor council paves way for state loan refinancing

The Basehor City Council took the first steps toward refinancing some of its debt during a special meeting Monday.

During a short meeting preceding its monthly work session, the council unanimously approved a charter ordinance, an ordinance and a resolution, each designed to allow the city to issue bonds to repay state loans for sewer and street improvements.

Refinancing the loans in this way would allow the city to take advantage of lower interest rates available right now, city clerk and finance director Corey Swisher said Monday.

“Nothing changes,” Swisher said. “We’re just looking for a more attractive interest rate.”

The city owes about $6 million total between the two loans, which were from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for sewer improvements and the Kansas Department of Transportation for the construction of Wolf Creek Parkway.

• Discussed an agreement with Affinis Corp. to provide designing services for KDOT-funded improvements to 155th and 158th Streets at a cost of about $195,500.

The agreement would also reduce Affinis’ payment for designing the construction of Wolf Creek Parkway between those streets by about $20,500, giving all three projects a combined engineering cost of about $311,600. The council already awarded Affinis the Wolf Creek Parkway contract in summer 2011.

The council agreed in March to roll all three projects into one. The total cost is projected to be about $3 million, with the city on the hook for about $758,000 and KDOT grants paying for the rest. Construction is scheduled for summer 2013.

• Discussed a possible agreement with a new city prosecutor. Police chief and interim city administrator Lloyd Martley recommended the city contract with Mike Kelly, who is the city attorney and city prosecutor in Tonganoxie.

The city’s previous prosecutor, KiAnn McBratney, announced her resignation publicly after the council’s work session in February.

Agree with politico_guardian on "special meetings." Now, at next Monday's next regular session, are we finally going to hear anything more on that Notice of Claims that's still sitting there waiting to be addressed by City Hall? We've got a new city council now--aren't ANY of them interested in resolving abuse and what appears to be illegal orders given to one of our local officers? We certainly heard, what, about 15ish stories about all the other "wrongs" made against Loughry after he nullified his own contract. Matt, how about following up on the "rest" of that story now? We've been quiet and patient long enough, don't you think? If nobody stands up for our good cops who take a stand against illegal activity, who will? And if we don't, what kind of cops will Basehor be attracting? If the Chief doesn't want to take one of our resident's phone call about identity theft and investigate it as a crime, where does that leave the rest of us??????? Not to mention the Chief thinking it's one big joke if an officer goes out with an unloaded shotgun in the vehicle!! We've heard all the "excuses" for his behavior, now let's hear some cold, hard facts about it, and whatever else he does/doesn't do.